No matter what amazing humans create, nature will always astound and this is most definitely the case with the power of storms! Despite meteorological experts dedicating their careers to forecasting and explaining the weather, nature is unpredictable and mysterious. Here are some hair raising facts about storms that might make you want to tie your roof down!

1. All Hail The Storm

A storm in Texas in 1995 made international news when it decided to unleash hailstones the size of softballs! With winds of up to 70mph, the deadly storm was responsible for 15 deaths and over 100 injuries! It knocked out the power to almost 17,000 homes, caused widespread flooding and did untold damage to properties and vehicles. If you’ve experienced storm damage to your roof, contact a Cheltenham Roofing company like stormroofingltd.co.uk/

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1. Snow Devastation

The worst blizzard in history occurred in 1972 in Iran. It lasted for a week and as much as 26 feet of snow fell in areas of the south. A staggering 4,000 were killed as whole villages were suffocated with snow leaving no survivors on the outskirts of the southern side of the country.

1. Turning Grapes to Raisins

Imagine weather so hot that it can turn grapes into raisins. Well, that’s exactly what happened in the California heat wave of 2017. Wine vineyards in the north of the state had almost half of their crops wiped out as temperatures of nearly 43 degrees Celsius zapped the moisture from the grapes and left them as raisins.

1. Blowing A Gale

The windiest place on Earth is Greenland where winds of up to 45mph are experienced as a matter of course. Flying over the region is definitely a choppy ride and it is believed that it was these winds that helped the Vikings to sail to America, making them the first Europeans to land there.

1. Hot Lightning

A bolt of lightning is incredibly hot. A direct hit with a bolt of lightning is fatal although thankfully, very rare. The heat reaches 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit which is hotter than the surface of the Sun! There are 55,000 lightning strikes a day in the U.S. (not hitting people thankfully!)

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1. Astraphobia

It’s not just children that can suffer from astraphobia, which is a fear of storms and in particular, thunder and lightning. Pets quite often suffer from this fear and adults who do, will often check weather forecasts constantly and change their plans if a storm is forecast.

1. Atomic Bombs

Would you believe that some storms are more powerful than the atomic bomb? A hurricane is immensely powerful and can contain the same amount of energy as five atomic bombs! A hurricane can last for several days when over the ocean, getting more powerful and building up energy before hitting land.

1. Urban Attractor

The additional heat that cities produce makes storms stronger. The heat from vehicles and trapped in concrete means more heat and humidity rises into the atmosphere. As cities grow, their rainfall levels also increase.

When running a business, there are many decisions to make, including who to choose to take care of your deliveries. This is important because often the only physical connection with your business will occur when the customer receives their package from the courier. This means you need to choose wisely as it is also your reputation on the line. Here are some handy hints to help choose the best courier for your needs:

• Tracking

A service that offers tracking is essential. Always check with a company that tracking is available as it’s useful to know exactly where parcels are. Customers appreciate this feature too and will happily pay extra for a service that includes the ability to track deliveries. For more information on Couriers Bracknell, visit a site like https://www.uk-tdl.com/same-day-courier/same-day-courier-bracknell.html

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• Ambassador

Does the courier company have a strong, professional image? Do they wear a uniform? Remember that for those operating an online retail business or ecommerce site, the courier will be the one the customer interacts with. They must be a great ambassador for your business or you could lose customers through association. Are there vehicles clean and smart? Would you be happy to receive parcels from them? Try to see things through the eyes of your customers.

• Size

Is it always better to use a big courier company? Not at all. Using a global chain might seem better value to begin with but you’ll become just another small account in a corporate machine. A firm that is large enough to be professional but small enough to care and be able to dedicate time to your needs is ideal.

• Cost

Some courier services will feel like a drain on your finances, so it’s important to find a company you can work with to come to an economical arrangement for both parties. The best service is rarely found in the cheapest quote but a good courier can be a real boost for your business.

• Reliability

Customers will soon become angry and write scathing reviews if they are paying for a delivery service that they don’t receive. When a company says next day or even same day delivery, they must deliver on that promise or complaints will soon start flooding in. Check a courier’s reviews and ask as many questions as you can. This is an important decision and needs to be just right for your business needs and reputation.

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• Reputation

As well as customer reviews, do a little research and see if they have won any awards or are part of a recognised industry standards scheme. Speak to the company on the telephone and see how open, friendly and communicative they are. If you receive a frosty response, it is probably best to continue your search.

• Insurance

You’ll also want to ask if the company is insured, particularly for things like accidental damage or loss. Commercial courier insurance is a must, if you don’t want your business to take the hit in the event of damage, accidents, loss or theft.

Did you know that many small businesses don’t use the services of an accountant? If you’re a small business owner and don’t currently benefit from accountancy services, what would change your mind? A whopping 46% of small businesses don’t work with accountants and of those who do, 47% only use them during tax season. There are so many ways that accounting services can benefit small businesses. Here are some things that accountants offer that might help change your mind if you’re currently not using one:

When it comes to designing rubber products, before the manufacturing stage, there are some important features that the design will need. Rubber components and products are used in highly specialist machinery across many industries so must have certain properties to enable them to withstand the rigours of such use. Here are some essential design features that should be incorporated into any design for rubber products:

Tolerance

Elastomers (types of rubber) can all go through a certain amount of shrinkage. The amount of shrinkage will depend on the type of compound, the moulding method applied and of course, the design. The tolerance of the rubber is essential to have a product that is efficient and resilient. When it comes to getting the right tolerance for your needs, speak to professionals like Meadex Rubber Moulding. Visit a site like Meadex Rubber Moulding for information and advice.

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Geometry

Due to manufacturing limitations, there will be some restraints on how an end product can look. Taking into account the elasticity of rubber and the moulding method employed, these factors will need to be considered at the design stage. When a design is simple, and preferably geometric, the manufacturing will be easier. More complex geometric designs might require additional treatments and finishes after moulding. This is likely to result in increased production costs and a higher chance of error and part rejection. A simpler design has benefits in terms of cost, reproducibility and quality.

Compatibility

Knowing in which environment a rubber product will be used is essential to guarantee the product is compatible with that environment. Thankfully, the huge amount of polymers and manufacturing techniques means there is a solution for every application required. When it comes to the proper handling of chemical substances, the choice of rubber is important, particularly for applications involving corrosive materials. It is wise to seek professional advice so the right material can be chosen depending on the environment that the product will be used in.

Shore Hardness

There is a scale that is used to measure and compare the hardness of different rubber compounds. This is measured by using a durometer which presses a spring-loaded rod against a surface to provide a reading. This records the indentation that is left on the surface. A low score means there is softness whereas a high score reflects a harder material. This is how resistance to indentation is measured. Shore hardness experiments can also reveal how flexible a material is or how stiff it is. This is useful information when designing a product.

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Seeking professional advice can help designers with important decisions such as which tools to use to make manufacturing easier and more economical. They can also assist with choosing the right material for the product and at the best price. Prototypes of the design can be produced so that testing and evaluation can take place before large quantities are manufactured. All these factors are vital in designing the right product at the right price that still meets functionality needs for the intended market.

If you have a company that produces or installs precision equipment, you know how difficult it can be to clean precision components without damaging them. Incorrectly removing grit and dust from intricate pieces of equipment such as lathes and drill presses is a difficult task for anyone. The wrong move could damage your expensive equipment or worse, leave it useless. This is why companies that deal with precision equipment are now turning to ultrasonic cleaning techniques in order to safely clean their products without causing any damage to their equipment or worse. For a Large Ultrasonic Cleaner, visit www.hilsonic.co.uk/